Sending and receiving Short Message Service (SMS) messages on a cell phone, also known as “texting”, is a popular and growing form of text-based communication. SMS messages are usually limited to a maximum character length of 140 8-bit or 160 7-bit characters.
To send an SMS message from a cell phone (cellular telephone), the user enters the text-based message characters sequentially, using the cell phone keypad. To provide a destination for the SMS message, the user enters the destination cell phone number, using the cell phone keypad. The SMS message is then sent from the cell phone, through the cellular network, to the destination cell phone.
Receiving an SMS message is straightforward. The message is delivered through the cellular network to the recipient cell phone.
Several services are known for routing SMS messages into or out of the cellular network. An aggregator delivers SMS messages to a cellular provider's Short Message Service Center (SMSC). A Direct to SMSC Gateway is used by the aggregator to connect from the Internet to the cellular provider's SMSC, so that SMS text messages may be sent or received by e-mail, from webpages or other applications, using the appropriate format change. The SMSC holds the message until the user uploads the message.
A Direct to Mobile Gateway allows SMS text messages to be sent or received by e-mail, from webpages or other applications, directly connected into the cellular network, without need of the SMSC.
Various business models exist for payment from subscribers to providers. A cell phone user may be charged $0.10 for each text message sent or received, or may pay an agreed-upon service charge for each billing cycle for unlimited texting.
Aggregators typically charge $0.10 for each SMS message sent or received via the Internet, independently of whether a cell phone user has unlimited texting. Direct to Mobile Gateway providers, likewise, typically charge for each SMS message sent or received via the Internet, independently of whether a cell phone user has unlimited texting.
While conventional approaches operate well for their intended purpose, further improvements are sought. The improvements may be performance-based and/or cost-based, such as providing the ability to send and receive SMS or other cellular network text-based messages to or from a mobile phone via the Internet, without incurring charges from or making use of an aggregator.